Even though she attempted to avoid a career path in the performing arts by focusing on gymnastics as a child, actor-singer Elena Ricardo ended up following in her dancer-parents' footsteps and making a name for herself in professional theater.

Ricardo made her Broadway debut in Mamma Mia!, starting in the ensemble and then moving into the principle role of “Sophie”. “They really nurtured me… I felt so much more ready to play Sophie when I finally got it” she says of having time to adjust to the Broadway workload before having a leading role.

Now on the current leg of the “Beautiful” tour, Ricardo is an understudy for the role of “Carole”, a role she always hoped to play, and will have an opportunity to play that leading role this weekend in their final performances at The Providence Performing Arts Center.

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March 2

Beautiful - The Carole King Musical at PPAC

Beautiful – The Carole King Musical tells the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom, from being part of a hit songwriting team with her husband Gerry Goffin, to her relationship with fellow writers and best friends Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, to becoming one of the most successful solo acts in popular music history.

March 2

Tom Petty Tribute Band - Damn The Torpedos at Courthouse Center for the Arts

Rich Kubicz, who plays the role of Tom Petty in the show, has been playing guitar and singing since his early teens. By 2007, so many people had told him that he looked and sounded like Tom Petty that he decided to put together Damn the Torpedoes as a tribute to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.